


Abyss

by orphan_account



Category: Among Us (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gore, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Torture, Lima Syndrome, Nonbinary Character, Not Beta Read, Other, Stockholm Syndrome, Tentacles, Violence, Xenophilia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:08:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26998699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: White has trained for this their entire life, and they've finally done it, they've made it to space. They've waited for years and now they're one of the first thousand people that have made it out of the milky way. But things always have to go bad when you're happy, don't they?"There is an imposter among you," a voice from HQ crackles over the radio."We cannot allow you to dock until you've disposed of them."Everything comes crashing down so fast. With limited supplies and a crew they just met last week, White has only one objective: Survive.But a certain crewmate of theirs has no intentions of letting any of them out alive.
Relationships: Purple/White (Among Us)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 72





	1. Chapter 1

‘The stars are so perfect today,’ White smiles to themself, the window of the dropship gave them a perfect view of the planet that they’ve chosen to leave behind, but also a perfect view of the galaxy that awaits. They squirm with excitement in their seat, disregarding the bored looks of the other crewmates. There are twelve of them in total, all strapped in, waiting to dock at HQ and get their first assignment. They fiddle with their hands trying to dispel the restless energy that’s been building up inside them since they first learned that they had been chosen.

As soon as they’ve made it to Mira HQ they burst out of their seat and wait at the door, an energetic bounce in each of their movements.

‘I’m finally here, I’m finally here, I’m finally here.’

A hand comes down on their shoulder, startling them. A pair of green eyes comes to meet their own, boring deep into their soul.

“Calm down newbie, you’re gonna use up all the oxygen,” he says. White can’t tell if he’s being serious or not but shuts up. Black stands a good foot taller than them, and his expression is cold and intimidating.

“R-right! Sorry.” White wilts a bit and hugs their arms to their chest. Their first day and they’ve already been scolded. They need to get it together. The doors his open and they step out, waiting for them is a handful of higher-ups and scientists. A woman steps forward and smiles at the group. Holding a clipboard tight to her chest, she addresses them.

“Good Afternoon everyone, welcome to Mira Hub, you’ll be given your assignment after a quick briefing.” Her hair is pin-straight and cut just below her ears, she holds an air of superiority while still appearing friendly. “As you all know, you’ll be addressed by your colour assignment from here on out. Please step forward once called to retrieve your ID.”

The woman, whose name is learned to be Ms Chartreuse, calls the crewmates one by one, handing them each a file and an ID card. Each of them seems so cam compared to White, it makes them wonder if they’re the only new recruit. Frowning to themself they stare at their feet dejectedly. Were they too excited? What would the others think of them? Would they be treated as a liability?

“White.” Snapping out of their stupor, White approaches Ms Chartreuse and gives a curt nod.

“H-happy to be here ma’am,” they squeak. A snicker can be heard from the group, their shoulders slump slightly, and they do their best to maintain their smile. The group is assigned to ship 23543A and given their tasks. White is in charge of communications for this mission. 'The hardest job to fuck up,' says Black.

Why does this mission seem less and less exciting as the day goes on?

They sit in the communication room for the two days it takes to get to Polus, waiting for updates and orders that are few and far between. Once they arrive, HQ sends new tasks for the crew to complete, and yet again, White is stuck with the easiest tasks, far away from the rest of the crew.

‘It’ll get better,’ they think as they lay in their bunk. Each night they repeat those words to themself like that will make it true. They toss and turn and barely get any sleep, sick to their stomach at the thought that they’d just be “the newbie” until a new cadet gets accepted into their crew, which would likely take years.

They wished they could go out on expeditions outside of the station like Purple and Green. They wished they could study the alien specimens with Pink and Lime. They wished they could study the planet’s environment with Brown and Orange. But they’re stuck in a cramped room with their dinky little radio and nothing to do. This is nothing like what they had hoped for.

After their three-day mission on Polus, the crew makes the journey back to Mira HQ. On the day before they arrive, Blue, who has been designated captain, calls everyone to the cafeteria for a meeting.

“We’ve all been working hard these past few days, and we’ve made some groundbreaking discoveries for our organization. I think we deserve a little celebration.” He sets two bottles of champagne on the table, uncorking a third. The fizz drips onto the table, which Cyan grumbles about, but makes no move to stop him as he pours a glass for each of the crew.

“Here’s to a successful mission!” The group cheers and chatters amongst themselves, but White sticks to the sidelines, sipping their drink in deep thought.

Had they really done that much in terms of helping? All they did was pass along information, and not much of it was important. Surely, they could’ve skipped the middleman and just relayed the information directly. They stare longingly at the group, wishing desperately to be a part of the camaraderie.

“Hey.” They jump a bit at the sound of their crewmate next to them.

“Oh uhm… hi,” they mumble. They aren’t really in the mood for talking, especially not with someone with such an important job. Purple had one of the most important tasks, exploring the area surrounding the base, taking note of any strange flora and fauna that he finds. He was an integral member of the team.

“If you want to join them then why don’t you?” White shrugs and takes another sip of their drink.

“Why don’t you join them? If anyone deserves to it’s you.” Purple chuckles and swirls his drink a bit.

“You’re deflecting,” he responds. His voice is cool and aloof, as if he believes himself to be better than them. They wouldn’t be surprised if he did. When White doesn’t respond he sighs.

“I haven’t done nearly as much as you might think.” He doesn’t look at them as he speaks, simply gazing into the crowd with them. “If you believe them when they tell you that you can’t do it, then you aren’t cut out for this job.” He leaves to his cabin without another word. White’s heart clenches and they chug the last of their drink.

“Not cut out for the job huh?” They set their glass down and lean against the wall.

“I’ve worked for this all my life. I’m cut out for it. I’m cut out for this.” White stares out the main window into space, watching the stars soar by.

“I’m cut out for this…”

The next morning when they arrive at Mira Hub, there’s a loud beeping from Communications. They rush over and turn on the radio.

“White? Get the rest of the crew in there with you, this is urgent.”

“Yes ma’am!” White makes their way to the cafeteria where all of their crewmates are waiting. None of them bother to look up upon their entrance, and White hesitates to disrupt them for a moment as if they’ll snap at them. But they can’t let their cruelty get to them. They deserve to be here just as much as any one of them.

“Guys? HQ wants us all in Comms, they say it’s urgent.” The crew makes no attempt to argue as they get up and head down. The communications room is a little small, but all twelve of them manage to squeeze in.

“Ms Chartreuse? What is it that you needed to tell us?”

“There’s an imposter among you,” the unapologetic voice from HQ crackles, “We cannot let you dock until you’ve disposed of them.”

The crew falls silent. Nobody moved. An imposter, the name of an alien species found on Polus. A race of incredibly intelligent shapeshifters, with a burning hatred for the human race. This isn’t the first case of infiltration, in fact, there have been so many instances that there’s a specific protocol.

“Cyan, check our inventory, how much food do we have left? How much O2?” Blue jumps into action, attempting to get the crew to move, but everyone is frozen in place. “Guys! Seriously! Standing here isn’t helping anyone.”

White is glued to their seat. Their first mission and they’re gonna die. There’s no guarantee that they won’t make it, but when an imposter is found, things tend to get hairy. Crewmates turn on each other, people are torn to bits and viciously killed. Why did it have to turn out like this?


	2. Two Faced

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The crew is on edge, and White is still struggling to find their footing.
> 
> Meanwhile a certain imposter lays the groundwork for suspicions and mistrust to spread.

As soon as the radio clicks off, Blue calls an emergency meeting. Everyone shuffles into the cafeteria and crowds around the centre table. Nobody speaks for a long time, nobody knows what to say. The air in the room is heavy, and the weight of realization hangs over the crew.

“Blue? What do we do?” Blue doesn’t answer.

“Blue?”

“We can’t let this stop us. We’re going to get rid of this imposter and things are going to go back to normal,” Blue asserts almost as if he’s trying to convince himself as well. “We need to keep the ship running until we can find the damn thing, and we need to stay calm. If we panic we’re easier targets.”

Nobody speaks, they don’t need to. They all know what’s about to happen in the next few days. One by one, they’ll either be killed by the imposter, or by their own crewmates.

“You have your tasks, stay alert. Meeting adjourned.” White stumbles off to communications to sit in front of the radio while the group disperses. They remove their helmet, tossing it into to the side. Their stomach churns. Their first mission will likely be their last, maybe they should’ve listened to their parents and just sprung for a ground control position. No news from HQ comes in for the rest of the day, not that they expected any.

Radio silence is the norm for crews that have been infiltrated, HQ won’t contact them until they’re clear. They have no real work to do but wandering around would make them seem suspicious. The only thing more terrifying than being ripped to shreds by an imposter would be drifting in the lonely vacuum of space until they run out of oxygen. Slowly dying with no one to hear them scream.

They stare at the metal table for hours, waiting for something to do. They still felt so useless, now more so than ever.

Lunchtime took its sweet time arriving, and when it did, White wasn’t in the mood to eat. They sat by themselves like always, poking at their food absentmindedly.

“It’s pretty sus to be the only one sitting along, y’know.” A tray clatters onto the table across from them. Purple slides into his seat and sends them a glance.

“Oh, it’s you,” White sighs and tries not to pay him any mind.

“How are you holding up, newbie? Not the first mission you had hoped for?” White frowns and pushes their tray away. Purple sounds unamused as always, his attempts at casual conversation comes off sarcastic.

“No, it’s not. This is probably the worst thing that could’ve happened to me.” White disposes of their food and moves to go back to Comms, but Purple grabs their hand.

“Listen, White, I’m trying to look out for you. I doubt you’re the imposter, and I don’t want any innocent people ejected,” Purple says. His voice betrays nothing, he sounds sincere enough. But to trust anyone just yet would be suicide. “Going to hide off by yourself is going to get you killed one way or another.”

White considers his words for a moment before sitting back down. He’s right, even if they don’t get ejected, being alone is an easy way for the imposter to corner them. They’re grateful to have someone looking out for them but unsure of his motives. Is he doing this to further some hidden agenda? What if he’s the imposter? White pushes this thought away. Purple has been nothing but kind to them, and they have the nerve to doubt him?

They finally made something akin to a friend or an ally, and they’re doubting him. This is the exact attitude that gets people killed in these situations.

“You’re right, I guess I’m just on edge,” White mumbles. They glance at Purple, taking in his features. He has a certain air about him that makes White feel a bit inferior. Someone so cool and calculated, not to mention good looking, has no business looking out for them.

“We all are. This is an unnerving situation,” Purple admits, “But freaking out won’t help anyone.” White nods in silent understanding. Maybe it would be nice to have someone so levelheaded on their side, not to mention his presence was slightly calming. If the imposter saw them with someone as formidable as Purple, surely they’d find another target.

“Hello? Polus to White?” Purple waves a hand in White’s face to snap them out of their daze.

“Huh? S-sorry, I didn’t catch that.” White shrinks a bit in their seat, staring off into space for so long was definitely sus.

“I was telling you that once I’m done with my tasks, I’ll swing by Comms to check on you.” White’s face flushes a bit. Why would they need someone to check on them? They don’t need a babysitter. But at the same time, having someone making sure that they’re safe is reassuring.

“O-oh, okay, I don’t have much to do anyway,” White smiles to themself as they walk back to Comms. Maybe just maybe they’ve made a new friend. Someone they can trust.

What they didn’t notice is that Purple didn’t touch their food at all, opting to throw it out without so much as opening the plastic utensils.

Purple finishes his “tasks” rather quickly, opting to corrupt the data he was supposed to be downloading before uploading it in admin. That would certainly set those vile humans back. He slips into the Medbay silently, knowing that he only has a few minutes before Lime returns from her break.

“Green.” Green doesn’t move. They knew this was coming. They had seen Purple get attacked by that creature, had agreed to his pleas for their secrecy in the matter. Only when they had returned to Medbay for their tasks did it all click. That wasn’t Purple. Purple had been devoured in the struggle. That was something else entirely. Something foreign. Something wrong.

“Purple. It’s you, isn’t it? And now you’re here to tie up the loose ends?” Their voice is strained. They know what’s about to come as they grip the syringe in their hand. They can only pray that it will buy them enough time to reach the cafeteria. But God is such a fickle master, isn’t he? He wouldn’t bother to fulfil the wishes of one of his creatures.

“How astute. Perhaps that’s why they decided that you were fit to venture into the unknown.” Thick tendrils poke through Purple’s suit, writhing as they whip in the air, desperate to stab into the flesh of their prey.

“I won’t go quietly. They’ll find out one way or another.” Purple laughs, a sickening sound escapes from his rapidly distorting maw. Acidic saliva drips onto the floor, sizzling as it evaporates.

A sharp tendril pierces through Green’s heart.

“I wouldn’t be so sure.” Green sinks to the floor, their body folding in on itself as their energy drains. Blood stains the floor below them, painting the Medbay an unholy shade of crimson. Purple’s stomach growls at the sight, but he reminds himself that he has no time to savour his meal, Lime will be back any moment now. He rends the flesh easily with razor-sharp teeth, taking only enough to sate his appetite before slinking into the vents and returning to his station.

Pink has her hands full in O2, and Cyan has holed up in Navigation, going over their route back and forth from Polus, marking any anomalous activity that he spotted along the way. Nobody would have noticed his brief absence. He pokes his head into O2 and lets Pink know that he’s off to see White. She nods and continues working.

White, poor innocent little White. Far too eager for such a grim job. Did they even know what it entailed when they signed up? But he wouldn’t kill them, not quite yet. In fact, he fully intended on saving them for last. If he can get even one crewmate that’s willing to vouch for him, he’ll surely be spared from suspicion.

Just as he enters the door to Comms, an alert sounds.

A dead body has been discovered.  



	3. Panic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the first body found, the crew is understandably shaken, but the stress is already effecting their logic.

“Green is dead,” Blue says, for the first time, the crew sees his brave façade falter. “The body was found in Medbay.”

“Medbay? Wasn’t Lime in there with them?” Orange glares pointedly at Lime, who is standing next to Blue, staring at the floor.

“Lime was the one that found them, it wasn’t her.”

“Couldn’t she have killed them and simply reported the body herself?” Orange grabs his tablet and casts his vote for Lime, Pink and Yellow follow suit.

“Hey, guys calm down! We don’t have any proof, there’s no need to vote until we’re sure!” Brown slams a gloved hand down on the table, trying to get the group to think rationally.

“Why should we take the risk? If they’re the imposter than we’re endangering ourselves by letting them stay!” Yellow crosses her arms over her chest and glares at Brown. “Or are you on their side? I bet there’s more than one and you’re working together!” Pink nods along in agreement.

“Yellow calm down, HQ would’ve told us if there was more than one. We can’t make rash decisions. Where was everyone when the body was found?” Blue asks.

“I was in the reactor room, keeping it stable,” says Brown.

“I was in storage going over our inventory.”

Everyone has an alibi except for Lime. They were all seen doing tasks, but Lime had no evidence that she was where she claimed she was. Several more votes are cast, while Lime pleads and screams for them to believe her. White’s hands are shaking, they don’t know what to do. If Lime really is innocent, they don’t want to be an accessory to her death.

White’s hand shakes as it hovers over the screen. They won’t be a part of this. They won’t kill someone with no proof. They abstain and place their tablet face down on the table, not willing to look at the results.

They do their best to drown out Lime’s screams as she’s thrown into space, their entire body shaking with the realization that two people have died already. They hug their arms close to their body and sit down at the table.

“Everyone back to work,” Blue shoos the crew away so that they don’t have to witness Lime struggling alone in space.

White shuffles into Comms, shutting the door behind them. Hidden from the rest of the crew, they burst into tears on the floor, unwilling and unable to even make a move to sit at the desk.

This isn’t fair. There was no real reason for Lime to be ejected, it was such a sickening thing to watch. Lime begging and screaming for someone, anyone to help her as they shove her through the airlock. How could anyone think that this was okay? Why would they throw her out on a whim like that? This was life or death. This was real.

“White? Are you okay in there?” White doesn’t answer, but their muffled sobs are enough to tell Purple that they aren’t. The doors hiss open and Purple kneels next to them, rubbing their back in soothing circles.

“They just threw her out like it was nothing…” They bury their face in their hands, refusing to look at him. Purple sits beside them for a moment, wondering just what it is that humans say to each other in situations like these, before deciding that words won’t soothe them, and simply continues rubbing their back.

White sniffles, wiping their face, which has become red and puffy. They hate that they’ve allowed someone to see them like this.

“Hey Purple? You’ve been on missions before this one, right? Have you ever had to deal with Imposters?” Their voice is meek, cracking slightly with every few words.

“No, this is…” Purple searches for his next words, what he says now can permanently affect how White views him, and if they don’t trust him, he won’t have anyone to vouch for him, “this is the worst thing I’ve ever witnessed.”

“Do… do you think I’ll be okay? Like… am I gonna end up like Lime?”

“No, you’re going to make it out in one piece. Promise.” A small lie to keep them from panicking meant nothing to Purple, but to White it meant everything.

Purple surely couldn’t be the imposter, he’s far too kind. He took the time to check on them, he made sure they were okay, and now, he’s reassuring them, keeping them calm. He was the first one to treat them with respect, to tell them that they deserved to be a part of such an important mission. They were more grateful for him than he could ever know.

The two sit in silence for a while, neither of them knowing what to say to the other. And yet the silence is soothing, it’s something that White can understand, something they can concentrate on, and that’s really all they needed in that moment.

When they fall asleep that night, they still remember the soothing feeling of his hand on their back, and the tranquil sound of the voice they once found intimidating.

When they wake up they sit with him at breakfast, listening closely to each and every word that falls from his lips. Perhaps it was childish to idolize him in this way, to feel the need to do exactly as he says, but they can’t help it. For the first time in ages, someone believes in them. Someone cares enough to check on them. It’s a dream come true.

They sit in comms that day, in anticipation of Purple’s visit. He seems to be the only one that isn’t bothered by their presence.

Purple smiles to himself at the knowledge that he has them wrapped around his finger. Now all he has to do it keep up the façade. The slaughter is about to begin, he’s giddy just thinking about it. Humanity has been so vile as to exterminate his kind, it only makes sense that he return the favour. They didn’t show mercy, so why should he?

He slips into the vents easily, before remotely locking the doors to the reactor. He doesn’t have much time before someone notices he’s gone. He slips easily out of the vent, creeping up ever so slowly behind Brown. He doesn’t realize he isn't alone until a thick tendril wraps around his throat. His hands tug at the appendage fruitlessly as it crushes his windpipe. Taking his last breath, he manages to choke out a curse aimed towards his assailant. Purple merely chuckles.

With Brown gone, the crew is short one level-headed individual. But what’s the fun in stopping at just one? Surely it couldn’t hurt to get rid of just one more person. He slips back into the vents and mimes doing a task as Pink walks into Weapons.

“Hey Purple, I’m done with tasks, I’m gonna go check on Yellow,” they announce. Purple nods affirmatively, only stopping his “task” once they’re out of sight. Now was the perfect time to get rid of Cyan, was currently in shiels. Nobody would check on her for ages, he was certain he could achieve a clean kill.

Cyan goes down just as easily as Brown. Feeling sufficiently satisfied, Purple makes his way to comms.

White sits at the desk, twirling a pen between their fingers. They were feeling much more secure now that they had someone they could rely on. Despite their constant boredom, their day was overall positive.

“Hey,” Purple’s voice startles them, but they quickly settle.

“Hi Purple, are you done with your tasks?”

“Yeah. How’re you holding up?” He leans against the desk and gives them a light nudge. White smiles brightly at him, it’s a stark contrast to their behaviour yesterday. Purple isn’t quite sure how to react.

“I’m doing a lot better now, thanks to you.”

“Good, I’m glad-“

A loud beep sounds from their tablets.

A dead body has been discovered.


	4. Insomnia

Purple gives White’s hand a gentle squeeze as they approach the cafeteria, their optimism quashed by the reality of their situation. They were foolish not to worry.

“Brown is dead,” Blue speaks with such finality that the crew almost couldn’t tell that he was upset, but the way his hands shake as he clenches them by his sides reveals it all. He doesn’t know what to do.

“Wait… Blue?” Yellow steps forward as she continues, “Where’s Cyan?”

The weight of the question hangs in the air, the crew casting worried glances at each other. Nobody had seen Cyan on their way to the cafeteria.

“Well, we can’t hold the meeting until we find her. Everyone in groups of four, we’ll split up and look. Pink, Yellow, Red, and Orange, search the West wing. Black, White, Purple, and I will search the East.” The crew disperses and Blue turns to the group.

“Alright, we’ll stick together, nobody goes anywhere alone. We’ll start in weapons.” White trembles as they search. No matter how safe they are in a group, they still feel a sickening dread. Surely Cyan would’ve heard the alarm? Why didn’t they come to the meeting? Had something bad happened to them?

Just as the thought comes to mind, they see something that makes their blood run cold.

“Guys?!” Their knees buckle as they take a step back, nearly tripping over themself in their fear. “Guys?!” Blue is the first to show up, gently nudging past White to see for himself.

“Oh… oh god…” Cyan is slumped against the wall, both of their legs are bent at horrific angles that hurt to even attempt to fathom. Blood seeps from their helmet, which is cracked and broken, and their right arm is missing. White can hardly keep themself from vomiting.

“Black, Purple, get in here!” The footfalls of their crewmates seem muted and far away. Cyan had been so close to comms, how had they not heard her struggles? What if it had been them? They grip the wall for support, but their knees have been reduced to jelly.

They don’t hear what their crewmates say next, nor do they register when Purple loops their arm over his shoulder and practically drags them back to the cafeteria. They don’t notice when he takes their helmet off and wipes their tears. When did they start crying, anyway? And does it really matter?

“Hey, White.” When they don’t answer, Purple shakes their shoulder a bit, causing them to glance at him.

“I was so close… and I didn’t even realize… What if I could’ve saved her?”

White is completely oblivious to the ongoing conversation just over Purple’s shoulder.

“She was _where?_ ” Red is practically shouting as they demand they throw White out.

“How did White not know she was there if they were so close by?” Orange demands, but Blue holds his ground.

“I really doubt it’s them. You didn’t see the look in their eye when they saw her. You can’t fake that kind of reaction.”

“An imposter could! You know first-hand how manipulative they can be, Blue! How could you say that?” Red is seething, how could Blue be so naïve? Their last mission together had nearly ended in disaster because of an imposter. If anyone should be agreeing with him, it should be Blue.

Purple struggles not to panic, because if he does something rash, it will only draw more suspicion. And yet, if they throw White out, the alibi he had crafted for himself was gone. What would he do if he didn’t have someone to vouch for him? He stands slowly, letting go of White’s hand for a moment. White doesn’t react.

“It couldn’t have been White.”

“And how would you know Purple? Have something to share?” Red’s behaviour is starting to worry the other crewmates. Why were they so upset? Sure it made sense that it was White, but he had never reacted this way to a death before.

“When I passed by shields to see White, Cyan was still alive, I was with them the whole time and neither of us heard anything,” he takes a slow step towards Red, looking him straight in the eye. “Why are you so adamant that it’s them? Are you trying to hide something?” The crew almost immediately turns to Red, who has no defence prepared. He was so sure that the crew would side with him that he hadn’t thought to cover his own ass.

“I-I- It couldn’t have been me! I was still doing tasks when they died!”

“How do you know when they died?” Black raises an eyebrow.

“I-I just-“ He stumbles over his words, unable to retort, unable to explain himself. He was innocent, but how could he prove that to them? He was so sure that it was White, if only Purple had kept his mouth shut!

“In fact… I didn’t see you when I came out of electrical. Where were you? Shields maybe? Without another word, Black casts his vote, then Purple, then Yellow and Pink. Red forgets how to breathe. How could this be? In the end, there are only two votes for White, one from him and one from Orange.

White didn’t speak the whole meeting, opting instead to stare at the floor. The conversation that the crew had didn’t hit them until they heard Red screaming as he was ejected.

And as Red struggles to keep his grip on the door, he notices an all too familiar glint in Purple’s eye.

Oh.

As soon as Red is gone, Purple sits by White, who is one again refusing to look out the window, horrified at the thought of Red struggling alone.

“Hey.”

“Hey, Purple…” They lean their head on his shoulder, sending a jolt of electricity up his arm. He simply writes it off as static and allows them to stay there until late. Blue passes by, telling them to get some sleep, but White seems reluctant.

Purple simply writes it off as nerves from the recent incident and heads to his cabin, leaving White to sit alone at the centre table in the café.

Alone. Something that White couldn’t possibly stand. Brown and Red were both gone, meaning that when they returned to their bunk, they’d be alone. They’d be vulnerable. If the imposter were to come after them, there would be no one to help, no witnesses.

There would be no one to save them.

And that was a thought that they just couldn’t stand. They grab a cup of coffee and head to comms, locking the door behind them. There was no way the impostor could reach them in here, they were sure, but just to be safe, they’d stay alert.

The bitter sting of the coffee as it hits their tongue gives them an added kick, allowing them to keep their eyes open and trained on the door. They don’t sleep at all that night, and when morning arrives, they drag themself to the cafeteria, sitting in their usual seat in the corner. They don’t notice when Purple slips into his seat across from them.

“White? Are you okay?” White mumbles incoherently, their mixture of fear and exhaustion keeping them from speaking properly.

“Hey, look at me.” He tilts their head up. Is the human broken? How often does this happen? Should he be concerned, or will they get over it?

White pulls back before resting their head on the table. Maybe it wasn’t the best idea to stay awake the whole night.

“I didn’t get any sleep last night,” they sigh, “I’ll live.”

“Why not?” Having next to no knowledge of how humans work and what their behaviours mean, Purple is at a loss. Why would they purposely deprive themself of sleep?

“It’s not safe in my room anymore. If I’m alone the imposter could kill me easily.” White is getting annoyed with Purple’s inquiries, their lack of sleep making them irritable.

“Well… since green is gone, I could ask Blue if you could bunk with us?”

“W-wait seriously?” White sits up and pulls Purple into a hug. “Thank you so much.”

Purple doesn’t quite understand human customs, and he certainly doesn’t understand this strange feeling in his stomach, but he does his best to mimic White’s actions. Their soft embrace is a new sensation, but the comfortable warmth that it brings is enough for him to not mind it.

“You don’t have real work in Comms, right? You can rest in weapons while I do my tasks.” White offers a weak smile and thanks and continues to rest their head on the table.

The day is quiet, with no deaths. White naps peacefully in weapons, under Purple’s care.

\--------------------------------------------

The human is acting strange today, a lack of rest they said. I’m not sure what possessed them to stay awake all night. Perhaps with my offer of a place in my quarters, they’ll sleep soundly tonight. I can’t have them getting paranoid and acting irrationally; they’re my only lifeline.

They’re asleep now, the noises they make are strange. I never did understand why they allow themselves to be so vulnerable. It’s an evolutionary marvel that they still require so much rest, in such a weak state. I could so easily kill them. Perhaps that’s why they’re so afraid. They worry that without a pack, there won’t be any guarantee of safety.

How foolish. If I really wanted to, I could dispatch them all in their sleep. But where’s the fun in that?

They seem oddly at peace right now, as if they aren’t at constant risk of dying. Humans truly are strange. For a creature so vile, they seem so innocent, so pure.

Disgusting.

This is the kind of thinking that got so many of my people killed. I’ll have to be a bit more guarded around them in the future.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there! Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this be sure to check out some of my other works over on Wattpad @Small-Cactus. 
> 
> Comments and Kudos are always appreciated and I love love love getting feedback so I know what I'm doing right and what I need to improve on.
> 
> See a typo? Tell me. Found a plothole? Let me know. Just have a general suggestion? Send it my way.
> 
> Thanks again for reading, byeeeee~


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